Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11tv Declaration of Independence Collection CSPAN April 15, 2017 12:44pm-1:01pm EDT
12:44 pm
hawaiians were in less of a position in american indians on the continent. they have less pull the government than that. they are still waiting on justice and we owe it to them to do it. >> all right. let us thank james haley for a great story. [applause] mr. haley: thank you so much. >> he will be signing books back in the foray when you lay. thank you. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2017] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] >> interested in american history tv? visit our website at c-span.org/history. you can view our schedule, preview upcoming programs, and watch college lectures, archival films, and more. american history tv, at
12:45 pm
c-span.org/history. american history tv is on the university of virginia to take a look at one of the largest collections of materials related to the declaration of independence. it was written by thomas jefferson, the creator of the university. we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by the creator to certain unalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. we are in the declaration in the special collections library at the university of virginia. this gallery houses what we consider the best collection of documents and printings related to the american declaration of independence. it is the founding document of
12:46 pm
the analysis of america written by the founder of the university of virginia, thomas jefferson. -- s a question as you enter the gallery, you will see the key item in the collection, something that took mr. smalls quite a few years before you get a chance to acquire it. this is one of 26 known copies of the very first printing of the declaration of independence printed on the evening of july 4, 1776, in philadelphia by prichard john dunlap. printing of the key american history. quite sure how many copies were printed. 400 sheetsrds of broadside. 26 or bind, and interestingly enough, two of the 20's of the 26are here -- two of
12:47 pm
copies are here. you can trace its ownership acted early 19th century owned leer, whoamed tobiasl was george washington's last known executive secretary. dunlappose of the broadside print on the evening of july or it was to disseminate the news as quickly as possible throughout the 13 colonies. so copies were sent on horseback far and wide to government representatives, and each colony , so the news could be read aloud and reprinted and spread by any means possible. once the news arrived in various states,n the now united the text of the declaration was reprinted in berries forms as
12:48 pm
separate -- was reprinted in periodicalss, and both here, and eventually in great britain. for example, this broadside was printed in salem, massachusetts after the news had arrived there later in july 1776. issuede, in a newspaper an extraordinary issue, special stock press a dish in of the new hampshire gazette printed in exit her, new hampshire dated test of the6, is a declaration. so important that it could not wait for the next issue of the paper to be published. and of course, this was -- the news was sent to great britain and arrive there definitely august of 1776. the first running of the text in , anon was in this magazine issue of the gym's magazine published in august 1776 -- of the gentleman's magazine
12:49 pm
published in august 1776. of course, the issue had developed over more than a decade's time. in england, there were a great many political pamphlets published already. so many english support of the american cause, so the reaction could be best described as mixed. you i would like to show the most significant manuscripts and albert's collection. perhaps the most significant one by caesartter here rodney, a delegate from delaware. it is the only letter that i know of signed by a delegate who attended the convention, inside the declaration -- and signed the declaration dated from philadelphia on july 4, 1776,
12:50 pm
and yes, it does discuss the declaration of independence. he played a key role in the decision for american independence. rainstorm 80gh a miles philadelphia and got there just in time to cast his vote, which was to approve independence. writing on the evening of july 4, where he's described what he has done, and then goes on to say that the news will not be printed and disseminated in what he calls meaning broadside. we have a facsimile of the writing desk that thomas jefferson used in philadelphia in june of july 1776 to right -- declaration of independence.
12:51 pm
we do not have the original desk. you can see that in the smithsonian institution in washington. but we do have a very interesting letter that tells us what jefferson did with the desk. and this letter is here. the letter that you wrote to his granddaughter in 1825. she is recently married and moved to boston. unfortunately, on the way there, some of their furniture was lost in a shipwreck. jefferson is writing his granddaughter to console her on the loss and saying, perhaps i can help her place your furniture by offering you the desk in which i wrote the declaration of independence? sophie sent that to her. she kept it in the family for a while before donating it to the people of the united states. now, this volume is one of several in albert's collection that contains sets of documents
12:52 pm
signed by 56 men who signed the original declaration of independence. a collector'sn americana for complete sets of documents, with autographs of all 56 signers of the declaration. exist, mosth sets of them in institutions. here in this opening, we can see on the left hand side, and original document and 7078 signed by john penn -- document in 1778 signed by john penn. i think it is important to realize that after signing the declaration in 1776, the delegates, and fact, many americans were in by no means say, they still have to fight a
12:53 pm
war to ratify that decision and achieve their independence. not only were british troops there in fighting the colonies, but many of the patriots's films -- friends and neighbors became come in thees delegates at sign the declaration were basically committing treason. and some of their lives were really in danger. let me take you into the next room in the declaration gallery. and, i think it is important in the lateize that 18th century, the declaration did not have quite the significance that we placed on it today. earlylly wasn't until the 19th century when a new generation was beginning to reflect on the achievements of the previous generation in forming the united states that
12:54 pm
it became more interested in the declaration, more reverence of its achievement of their ancestors, and more willing to commemorate that achievement. for example, it wasn't until 1818 that the first facsimile reproduction of the declaration of independence was created. an engraving done in 1818. it is not an exact facsimile. when highlighted, mr. small's collection -- we not only have this 1818 engraving, but we have the subscription book that the publisher of the engraving carried with him as he toward the united states seeking subscriptions to his print.
12:55 pm
in planning his subscription campaign, he did a very shrewd thing. whotarted by approaching else the thomas jefferson. thomas jefferson was the first person to find this book to pledge to purchase a copy of the print. the next signature is james madison. the other signature is john quincy adams -- the third signature is john quincy adams, the president at that time, and so on. as the publisher carried the subscription book around the united states, he could show people what are you subscribe to the print, and encouraged them, therefore, to purchase the wrong copy. almost immediately, another publisher got the idea to prepare a competing print of the declaration of independence. in this one was issued also 1818 by -- and here, he has added
12:56 pm
illustrations, also with more exact facsimile of the original document. one interesting feature of this print, as you can see, george washington is at the top. john hancock to the left. and then thomas jefferson. washington was the first president of the united states. jefferson was the third. where is president numbered two, john adams -- as president number two, john adams? key is not there -- he is not there. that was a mistake of mr. bent. here is the original letter written by john adams to john bent complaining about the omission. when he received it, was horrified to find that his portrait was missing from the print. therefore, he returned it to john been along with this letter
12:57 pm
saying i'm returning this. please do not send another copy. in 1823, perhaps most important facsimile reproduction of the declaration of independence was issued. this is the so-called stone broadside. this print was actually taken directly from the original many that is nownuscript on display at the national archives. if you have seen the original, it is quite faded. one of the reasons it is fated ded was because of the treatment when it was prepared. it was dampened and pressed against the metal plate to ink from some of the the original. therefore, fortunately, a damaged the original --
12:58 pm
unfortunately, it damaged the original. mr. small's copy is a very important copy of this facsimile it is the copy that was given to general lafayette during his 1820 44 of the united states. -- during his 1824 tour of the united states. this should really be taken with a grain of salt if you read the accounts of the continental congress as their debating the declaration. some of the members who eventually signed the documents were not in fact president. they were not even related to
12:59 pm
the continental congress at the time. creationespects, every , but not an actual representation of the scene. or printe broadsides that appear to be the declaration of independence, it is a good idea to look a little more carefully because there are a number of examples that are using the theme of the decoration of independence in a different way. this is a declaration printed in charleston, south carolina late in 1860. it is really a declaration of succession. declaration of independence from the american union. here we have the text of the ordinance of succession, and also the succession convention and the need to the delegates who signed it. we are trimming grateful that albert small for donating his very important collection the
1:00 pm
university of virginia. it is a great importance to us because thomas jefferson was the founder of our university. on his tombstone, hugh mentioned three great achievement you wanted to be known for. university of virginia was one of them. the declaration of independence was another. so, here we are able to present another side of jefferson here at the university that he founded. >> are cities tour staff recently traveled to charlottesville, virginia to learn about its rich history. when more about charlottesville and other stops on our tour at c-span.org/cities tour. americanatching history tv come all we can, every weekend come on c-span3. >> american history
88 Views
IN COLLECTIONS
CSPAN3
Television Archive 
Television Archive News Search Service 
Uploaded by TV Archive on
